Rein-guard



(1 10 Model.) I

J. H; TIBBETTS.

REIN GUARD.

No. 374,813. PatentedDeo. 13. 1887; i

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. TIBBETTS, OF BRUNSWICK, MAINE.

RElN-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,813, dated December 13,1887.

Application filed March ii, 188?. Serial No. 230,719.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. TIBBETTS, a citizen of the United States, residing atBrunswick, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rein-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the reins from getting under the ends of the whiffletree attached to the cross-bar of carriage-thills.

The nature of my invention will be understood from the description which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my invention applied to a pair of carriage-thills. This figure illustrates my rein-guard as constructed for application to. thills of a specified uniform width between the connected pairs. Fig. 2 is a' similar view illustrating my rein-guard adapted in construction for application to thills of various widths between the connected pairs.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

A A are thills connected together by the cross-bar B, to the center of which the whiffietree O is pivoted, as shown at a, all in theusual manner.

The rein-guard D consists of a metallic rod, E, provided with downwardly-curving ends I; 0, preferably bifurcated, as shown. In applying the rein-guard to the thills the rod E of said rein-guard extends above and parallel to the whiffietree C, while the ends I) c of said rein-guard curve over the outside of the ends of said whiffletree and under the thills A A, to which said ends b c are secured by the bolts (1 6. By bifurcating the ends b c of the reinguard said ends are spread out, and the guard.

is thereby more securely fastened to the thills. It is evident, also, that the curved ends I) c of the rein-guard extending out beyond the ends of the whiffletree 0 make it impossible for (No model.)

the reins to be caught under the ends of said whiffletree under any circumstances. At the same time the open ends I) c of the rein-guard make it very convenient to attach the traces to the whiffietree.

As already indicated when thills of uniform width are made-for instance, for a lot of carriagesthe form of rein-guard made in one piece (shown in Fig. 1) may be used; but thills of different carriages often vary greatly in width. Iprefer, therefore, usually to make my rein-guard in two pieces, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, in order to adapt it to thills of any definite or indefinite length of crossbar between them. In this case the rod E extends above the whiffletree, as already de- This rein-guard may be made of wrought or malleable iron, steel, brass, or any other suitable metal, and can be'made very ornamental by polishing, japanning, nickel or gold plating, or otherwise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, substantially as described, with the shafts, the whiffletree, and the eross-barsupporting the same, of the reinguard having its bifurcated outer end secured to the shaft, its stem extending horizontally above the outer end of said whiffietree and close thereto, and its inner end bent downwardly and secured to the cross-bar.

2. The rein-guard consisting of the rod having one end bifurcated and secured to the shaft, the main stem extending horizontally above the outer end of the whiffletree and close thereto, and the inner end extending under the cross-bar and secured thereto, substantially as set forth.

JAMES H. TIBBETTS.

Witnesses:

J. P. WINOHELL, O. J. RIPLEY. 

